On November 16, 2024, at 9:43 PM, Maple Grove Police Department officers responded to a Target, [ADDRESS REDACTED] North in the city of Maple Grove, Hennepin County, Minnesota on report of a theft involving two unknown recurring shoplifting suspects who pushed out a cart of unpaid merchandise. Surveillance footage showed the suspects, one carrying a bag and the other pushing a shopping cart, making numerous selections directly from the sales floor. The suspect with the bag met up with the other suspect and placed the bag in the cart.
Walking together, the suspects passed all points of sale and approached the store exit where they ignored an employee who requested a receipt check. The suspects pushed the cart out of the store without paying and left the area in a silver 2017 Toyota Prius (MN DTV811). The total loss was $227.09 of unpaid merchandise. An investigator followed up with Target Loss Prevention and learned the suspects have committed other thefts at other Target stores, including Champlin Target on 11/14/2024 for a total loss of $537.47, Medina Target on 11/16/2024 for a total loss of $137.92, and Plymouth Target on 11/02/2024 for a total loss of $186.97. The total dollar amount for all four thefts is $1,089.45. Officers determined it appears to be the same two individuals in all the incidents, noting there are times where the male suspect wore a black hat with white lettering.
It appeared the female suspect wore the same hat in some of the other thefts. Investigators ran checks on the Prius and discovered two suspects whose appearances match the suspects in the thefts. They were identified as DENNIS BRIAN DMITRUK [DOB REDACTED] and ALINA ZAIETS ([DOB REDACTED], “DEFENDANT” hereinafter). Closer examination of surveillance footage helped investigators determine the black hats were a set with Dennis wearing "Biggie" and DEFENDANT wearing "Smalls.
